End of form-filling for jobseekers?

'The days of requiring candidates to laboriously complete application forms, when theyíve already typed a perfectly good CV, are numbered.í Rod Smyth, CEO Arithon.

Less form-filling for jobseekers

Relief is at hand for jobseekers weary of typing the same CV details into the in-house application forms of employers and staffing agencies. Hitherto, a CV in Word would not fit with the structured databases used by HR departments and employment businesses.

Recruitment software provider, Arithon, is launching a product this month which automatically takes details from the jobseekerís Word CV and populates the agencyís in-house application form and database. This parsing technique has played a part in streamlining the reading of candidate databases inside recruitment departments for several years, but has not been adapted, until now, to benefit jobseekers wanting to register their application.

Once the software has parsed the applicantís uploaded Word CV, it copies the information into the appropriate fields on the internal application form. The applicant is prompted to check the details before pressing the button to send it to recruiters who can then easily match it against vacancy criteria. The candidate can even log in 24/7 to check on the status of his/her application and get interview information through the recruiterís website.

The software is a key element of a custom-designed website package, Integrate, which has been trialled by several recruiters including principle hr.

Peter Hughes, Director of principle hr, saw an increase in candidate registrations – over 2,000 were received in one month. ëJobseekers apply via our website which is convenient for them and us. Integrate software reduces the input required by jobseekers and helps ensure they donít give up on the application process and move on to the next agency. Candidates can then view and update their details and availability online at any time. They can follow the progress of their application through to placement, which is especially helpful for applicants who are in a job. í He added, ëThe icing on the cake is that once the vacancy is discussed with the candidate we are able to forward CVs to clients a lot more quickly – it gives us and the candidate a better chance of a successful placement.í

Rod Smyth, CEO of Arithon added, ëCandidate-friendly websites not only enhance a companyís branding, but give clear advantages to recruiters by capturing more CVs, matching them more quickly and identifying the best candidates faster. Even though the jobs market is depressed at present, employers still need access to talent and a pool of screened candidates ready for the upturn. The days of requiring candidates to laboriously complete application forms, when theyíve already typed a perfectly good CV, are numbered.